Monster Hunter is a is an Action RPG wherein you play as one of the titular Monster Hunters in its world.
Hunters get to choose from up to 14 Classes of Weapon all functioning quite differently from one another each with their own strengths and weaknesses meant to better encourage team play ranging from a bladed slab of steel meant to sever tails for more monster rewards to an Axe that can morph into a Sword that uses stored energy to deal explosive bursts of damage to select parts of the monster you're hunting.
In the older of the games your moveset is quite limited forcing you to really make the most of limited options meanwhile in the newer games you start to get full on combo strings, parries etc.
The Monsters on the other hand mechanically serve almost as bossfights with a lot of focus put into making them feel much more real within their environment, ecology and immersion play no small part in the series appeal. You'll start off fighting creatures like birds or toads with some features on them exaggerated for their environment but gradually face more and more of the fantastical.
The core gameplay loop sees you and a team of up to 3 other players Hunting these Monsters for their parts to make new equipment, typically stronger or alternative upgrade routes for weapons or for armor which provide bonuses to the player themed around the creature whose parts it's made from.
In the older games there's also no small emphasis on down time between hunts where you gather supplies from the game's many environments to brew things like potions and various gadgets to make future hunts easier, but in the newer games a lot of this aspect of the game is shortened.
The newer games in the series are the most straightforward for newer players to get into as well as easier to play Co-op with friends. If you can both run and afford it the newly released wilds is the best starting off point imo otherwise World would be my next recommendation (It's also much cheaper making it easier to rope a few other friends into).
RageBurner
